The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-05-20
UN, CECIL COUNTY, MD. FRIDAY, MAY 20. 1887.

little, or was too slow to meet the evil.
The organization known as Patrons of
Husbandry that had been slowly work
ing its way into favor, here loomed up
as the thing adapted to their wants. It
grew with amazing rapidity, and turn
ing its attention among the first to re
lieving the community from unjust tax.
alton imposed by the railroads, the
Order soon became notorious in the
East by the disturbance it made among
the railway corporations. The prom,
lnence given to this idea induced many
to believe the organization gotten up to
break down the railroads or cheaper
freights merely. But this object hav
ing been settled by proper legislation,
the higher purposes of the organization
now began to. assume their position.
The idea was frequently y advanced
by those who were opposed to the Or
ganization in the Eastern States that
the cheapening of freights would ruin
Eastern farmers, but the result has not
justified their fears. The price of our
grain is fixed by foreign demand and
not by the freight from Chicago.
This combination of the agricultural
population, who are the largest custom
ers for the manufactured articles, has
also had the direct effect of destroying
the fictitious values of many articles
now in everyday use, especially ma.
ehlnery. the selling prices Of which has
heretofore been fixed so as to allow a
heavy profit to several agents, amount.
ing in number of cases to several
times the first cost of manufacture.
The price of these things is now cut
down to living profit merely, and the
change in majority of cases, can be
traced directly to the '.Grangers."
This reduction has benefited all alike,
but the members OF the Order still have
the inside track, and will continue to
have itwhile they work in concert
We war on no honest industry, but
rather strive to build up every legiti.
mate business that will be benefit to
the whole community.
Agriculture is the basis upon which
all real wealth is built, and with it's
handmade manufacture, produces all
that is necessary for mans comfort or
happiness. All trades and professions
must draw their living from these, and
Come good or ill. what ere befall
The farmer, he must feed them al1.'
A bountiful harvest to the farmer means
more comforts for his family, more
trade to the store keeper, more work
for the carpenter, more to the coach.
maker, more to the laborer, and more
to the railroad and more to every other
business, unless it be the doctor and
lawyer, and We are not sure but they
receive share of the spoils; but if the
rule of Patrons is observed, the lawyers
will find less of certain business to do
and can turn their talent to more
productive occupation
With these observations let us turn to
our special locality and survey our sur.
roundings, and let it be our aim to ele.
vate our calling and improve our talents
while adding to our pecuniary resources.
While money is no doubt good ser.
want it is bad master, and the per.
sons who devote their whole lives to
the accumulation of it without the fac
ulty ofemploying it for their own pleas
ure or the benefit of the rest of man.
kind. are the worst of slaves. There is
no occupation that brings a man so in
contact with the works of the Creator,
and that furnishes a wider field for
study, than the tilling of the soil. His
work, by the constant variety of its
character, gives scope to all his ener
gies and relieves labor of that monotony
which makes man a mere machine.
Yet how many there are that spend
their whole lives in one routine of ac.
tion, totally oblivious to the beauties of
nature spread all about, that far surpass
all the puny works of art.
If we here, situated as we are, be-
tween two of the great cities of the con-
tinent, and in daily communication
with each by rail, with water commu-
nication sufficiently near to forever pre-.
vent extortinate rates; of freight, do
not open our eyes to our surroundings
and adapt our products to our markets,
it is our own fault and we should not
sit down and talk Of hard times that
our own ignorance has brought upon
us.
That it will no longer pay to pursue
the same routine of farming that was
followed by our great grandfathers
must be patent to all observers. With
virgin soil to plow, and the native
timber still standing on large tracts
that were to be brought successfully
under the pillow, different system was
pursued from what is needed now, when
the soil has, in great measure, lost its
pristine vigor. Now to farm without
manure will make both farm and farmer
poor.
Manure, then, is our first essential to
success and how to do this oost affact